The present invention relates to an apparatus of foot pedal working type for health maintenance equipped with a generator.
The conventional apparatus of foot pedal working type for health maintenance typically has no means for self-propelling and adapted to be always kept in stationary state for user's physical exercise. Such conventional apparatus merely displays a momentum but a kinetic energy generated by user's physical exercise is converted to a thermal energy which is uselessly released in the air.
An improved apparatus of foot pedal working type for health maintenance having a function to convert such kinetic energy to electric energy or the like and to store this converted energy is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Gazette Nos. 1979-169709 and 1981-163669.
A self-propelled apparatus of foot pedal working type has been also proposed in the form of an electrically assisted bicycle in which the foot pedal working is assisted with a driving motor energized by battery. Such electrically assisted bicycle has been further improved so that the bicycle is provided, in addition to said driving motor, with a generator adapted to charge the battery for said driving motor, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-191976.